On the 12th of October, the IOV Brasil entourage, made up of the following members of the IOV Brasil Board of Directors- Antonio Clerton Vieira da Silva (President of IOV Brasil and Executive Secretary of IOV America), Lairton Guedes (Vice President of IOV Brasil), professor Lilian Vogel (chairman of the IOV Brasil Pedagogical Academic Committee), Anderson Freitas (chairman of IOV World Youth), Fernanda Colli (chairman of IOV Youth Brazil), Luziana Amaral Jukoski (chairman of the festivals and practices committee of IOV Brasil), Nazaré do Ó Ribeiro (President of the Commission of Immortal Masters of IOV Brazil), members of IOV Brazil- Aldemir Maciel (IOV Acre), Antonio Fábio Mendes Lessa (Ceará), Flávio Luiz Pileggi (IOV São Paulo), Ivo Benfatto (IOV Rio Grande do Sul), Márcia Goreti do Ó Ribeiro (IOV Pará), Maria Helena Astolfo Benfato (IOV RIO Grande do Sul), Mônica Giselle do Ó Ribeiro (IOV Pará), Paula Simon (IOV Rio Grande do Sul), Rosa Carolina dos Santos Pires (IOV Brasília/DF), Ronilson da Silva Costa (IOV Pará), Talita Maciel (IOV Acre), Verônica Inaciola Costa Faria da Cruz (IOV Rio de Janeiro), Wellington Veras de Souza (IOV Amazonas), and the presidents, IOV World board and members: (Fabrizio Cattaneo – IOV World Secretary General), Ana Isabel Pradenas (IOV Chile), Anna Brozoska (IOV Europe), Arman Ghukasyan (IOV Armenia), Barbara Thompson (IOV Argentina), Délia Ascencia Picadura (IOV Argentina), Graciela Pons (IOV Argentina), Julio Cesar Mariangel Toledo (IOV Chile ) Nestor Ariel Barreda (IOV Argentina), Patricia Janette Orozco Guerrero (IOV Mexico), Valentin Notta Corsaline (IOV Argentina), Wieslaw Jan Krajka (IOV Poland), met for the II Americas Assembly, held in the city of Ijuí-Rio Grande do Sul, during the Exhibition-International Festival of Ethnicities – Expofest Ijuí 2022. The theme of the Assembly was: “Ethnic diversity: Protagonism of future generations”.
After the reception at the Salgado Filho Airport in Porto Alegre by UETI/EXPOFEST IJUÍ, represented by Professor Dr. Adelar Francisco Baggio and Professor Eduardo Beckmann, the delegation left for Ijuí and at 8 pm after arrival and accommodation, they were welcomed by the Polish ethnic group, with the offer of a typical dinner.
On October 13, at 8:30 am, the delegation went to the Cultural Headquarters of UETI – União das Etnias de Ijuí and, at 9 am, participated in the Official Reception of Directors, Intellectuals and Artists participating in the II Assembly of the Americas, by the municipal leaders and the Ijuí community.
At the ceremony after the virtual presentation of the video by Dr. Ali Abdullah Khalifa, President of IOV World, made statements: President of UETI and Expofest Ijuí, Mr. Nelson Casarin, Executive of IOV America and President of IOV Brazil Antonio Clerton Vieira da Silva, Secretary General of IOV World, Mr. Fabrízio Cattaneo, on which he delivered the Motion of Recognition that registers the granting of the title “Ijuí – World Capital of Ethnicities” to Mr. Andrei Cossetin Sczmanski, municipal mayor of Ijuí, who, using the word, thanked the Recognition and the title granted. At 11:30 am, the delegation went to the Wanderley Agostinho Burman Exhibition Park, where they were received by the Italian house that offered a typical lunch to the entire delegation. At 1:00 pm, the IOV delegation traveled to the municipality of São Miguel das Missões with the objective of holding the event on Material Cultural Heritage represented by the Ruins of the Jesuit Site of São Miguel Arcanjo by the Cathedral of São Miguel. After the reception of the IOV entourage by Mayor José Roberto and members of the executive and legislative powers of the municipality, there was an explanation of the first panel “Material Cultural Heritage focusing on the Jesuit Missions of Santo Arcanjo de São Miguel, Cultural and Natural Heritage declared by UNESCO, and Ruins of São Miguel” followed by a walk around the site with professional guides. There was a presentation by the Tupi Guarani tribe, from the “TekoáKo’ënjú” Indigenous Village, a people originally from the region. At 7:00 p.m., the municipality of São Miguel hosted a “campeiro coffee” dinner at the Tenondé Park Hotel, with a typical menu from the gaucho campaign, followed by the show Som e Luz at the Ruinas de São Miguel site, with an English version, and later in Portuguese, with the delegation returning at 10 pm to the city of Ijuí.
On October 14 at 8:30 am, the delegation went again to the Wanderley Agostinho Burmann Exhibition Park, where the II IOV Assembly began by the IOV America board, using the technique of simultaneous translation of English, Spanish and Portuguese. At 9:30 am, after the virtual presentation of the video by Dr. Ali Abdullah Khalifa, President of IOV World, Secretary General of IOV World Fabrizio Cattaneo introduced the second panel: “Ethnic Diversity”. At 12:00 the delegation was received by the Dutch ethnic house with a typical lunch and at 13:00 there was the Planting of the Symbol Tree of Ijuí in the Expofest Park. At 2:30 pm, the 2nd plenary session began, with an explanation by the director of Science and Research of IOV Europe Anna Brzozowska Krajka with the theme “The importance, priorities, partnerships and academic and scientific perspectives of IOV Europe”. On the occasion, a summary of the text “Popular Culture as a Platform and Communication Bridge” prepared by Dr. Mohamed Nouiri, President of the Science and Research Commission of the IOV World, and copies of the complete document were later distributed in English and Portuguese. .The 3rd panel “Report of Successful Experiences in the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and Intangible Cultural Heritage, with the explanation of the challenges of continuity and sustainability for future generations with brief communications on Experiences related to the theme. Contributed to the theme: Adelar Francisco Baggio, former Rector of UNIJUI and Articulator of the Ethnic Movement of Ijuí and Mercosur, Antonio Fábio Mendes Lessa, Ana Isabel Pradenas, Graciela Pons, Valentim Notta Corsaline, Fernanda Colli, Anderson Freitas. After the reports, the young participants of the Assembly started debates on their contributions to the Charter of Ijuí, with the proposal on the IOV we have and the IOV we want. At 21:00 the entourage was received by the traditional gaucho house with typical dances and food.
On October 15th at 8:30 am, the delegation returned to the park starting the panel “The IOV we have, the IOV we want”, with a brief explanation by the secretary general of the world IOV Fabrizio Cattaneo about the current IOV and its characterization. Then, the president of IOV Brazil and director of IOV America Clerton Vieira explained the characterization of the IOV, followed by the presentation of each president present in the IOV entourage. Then, the commission responsible for writing the final document of the Assembly was created, composed by Prof. Antonio Cretom Vieira, Prof. Ivo Benfatto, Prof. Paula Simon Robeiro, Prof. Lilian Vogel, Mestre Nazaré d’Ó and Fernanda Colin. The work was interrupted for lunch and the delegation was received by the Austrian Culture House with a typical lunch. At 4:00 pm, the plenary work continued, with the reading of the final document of the Assembly, being read to the plenary session the Letter from Ijuí, which will serve as a subsidy for the IOV World Conference that will take place in November. At 5:00 pm, with the agenda concluded, the II Assembly was closed by its convener, Antônio Clerton Vieira, in which he thanked UETI (União das Etnias de Ijuí), UNIJUI – Regional University of the Northwest of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, to the organization of EXPOFEST IJUÍ 2022 – Exhibition International Fair of Ethnicities), to the City Hall of Ijuí, to the local authorities and to the hospitable people of “Ijuí – World Capital of Ethnicities”.
At 20:00, the African Culture House received the entourage for a typical dinner. Members of the IOV entourage performed at the Ethnic Stage, located in the Exhibition Park, at 10:00 pm. After the presentations, the delegation went to the hotel to organize and return to Porto Alegre airport, which took place at 1 am on 10/16.
It was a positive meeting that brought together experiences and diversity not only for the young people present who concluded by the need to favor the feeling of identity belonging and the protagonism of young people, but also experiences shared by all the members of the delegation present at the Assembly. The positions of the IOV of the Americas were forwarded to the Letter of Ijuí, the Assembly’s final document, in the following terms:
During the Assembly, the host city was granted the title of “Ijuí-World Capital of Ethnicities”, because the city has, among its citizens, in an organized and active way, the representation of thirteen ethnicities that make up its people, fully organized and able to for the promotion, conservation and living of their traditions and folklore, passing them on from generation to generation.
Given the theme proposed for this Assembly, the Brazil Section informs that the Academic and Pedagogical Commission and the Youth Commission are part of it. The Academic and Pedagogical Commission aims to promote the study, publication of scientific studies, the holding of courses, lectures and workshops on related subjects for its members and the community in general. In partnership with UNIJUÍ – Regional University of the Northwest of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, with more than 60 years dedicated to training, undergraduate and graduate courses, having started, this year, the Postgraduate Course in Folklore and Popular Arts, aiming at the expansion of the cultural movement proposed by the IOV, the study, the scientific research for the formation of new specialists in the science of folklore.
The young members of the Youth Commission of the IOV of the Americas, present at the Assembly, reinforce the need to create opportunities that lead to the strengthening of their sense of belonging in relation to the common cultural identity inherited from their ancestors.
The plenary of the II Assembly proposed the following goals to be achieved in the next two years and until the next Assembly:Formation of new national sections;
- Promotion and actions aimed at preserving nature and indigenous peoples;
- Fostering folklore groups so that they always drink at the source of groups, peoples, terreiros, traditional and immigrant communities, praising the knowledge of the masters.
- Fostering the creation of new IOV sections in countries in the Americas.
- Fostering the creation of a Youth Commission at IOV sessions in the countries of the Americas.
Ijuí, RS, October 16, 2022
Antônio Clerton Vieira
Executive President of IOV of the Americas
Lilian Vogel
Secretary of the Assembly
